Jonathan Wilkinson

[Budget Implementation Act, 2023, No. 1, May 1st, 2023]

moved:

That, in relation to Bill C-47, an act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, not more than one further sitting day shall be allotted to the consideration at second reading stage of the bill; and

That, 15 minutes before the expiry of the time provided for Government Orders on the day allotted to the consideration at second reading stage of the said bill, any proceedings before the House shall be interrupted, if required for the purpose of this order, and, in turn, every question necessary for the disposal of the said stage of the bill shall be put forthwith and successively, without further debate or amendment.

[Natural Resources, April 27th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure where the hon. member has been sitting for the past few weeks, perhaps behind a gate, because if we look at the work that has been done, we see the approval of a recent LNG project, two critical mineral mines and a major port expansion. Just yesterday, TD put out a report that said Canada is the second-best place in the world to invest in the green economy, largely as a result of the investments we have made in the budget.

I would encourage my hon. friend to do his homework.

[Natural Resources, April 27th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, critical minerals are an enormously high priority for this government. They represent a generational economic opportunity for Canada.

At this point, there is no formal offer on the table, but as a British Columbian who lives in Vancouver where Teck is headquartered, I am very proud of the fact that its corporate office is in Vancouver and its research and development is done in British Columbia. It is an important member of the Canadian business community, and we certainly are in touch with it on an ongoing basis.

[Carbon Pricing, April 25th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I find it very interesting that the Conservative member is saying this. To be honest, it represents the height of hypocrisy because the platform he ran on in 2021 said, “We recognize that the most efficient way to reduce our emissions is to use pricing mechanisms.”

Climate change is a challenge that requires action, certainty and coherence. On this side of the House, our position is clear: We are putting a price on pollution and more money back in people's pockets.

When Conservatives have a coherent policy on climate change, maybe they should tell Canadians.

[Carbon Pricing, March 21st, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said a number of times in the House, affordability is extremely important to every member in every party here. We have taken significant steps, including doubling of the GST tax credit, enhancement of the workers benefit, investments in energy efficiency and a number of other things to address affordability issues.

Eight out of 10 Canadian families will get more money back than they pay with respect to the price on pollution. It is, in effect, an affordability measure in itself. Canadians not only expect their politicians to be smart and thoughtful and to address affordability issues but also to believe in and address climate change.

[Questions on the Order Paper, March 20th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, through the atomic workers recognition program, or AWRP, the Government is honouring the exceptional service of former Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, or AECL, employees who responded bravely in a time of crisis. Today, Canada continues to place the highest priority on health, safety and environmental protection in all aspects of the nuclear industry.

With regard to part (a), budget 2021 allocated $22,273,536 over two years to fund the atomic workers recognition program, beginning in 2021-22.

With regard to part (b), of this total cost amount, $18,810,000 is provisioned for the ex gratia payments to eligible applicants, and $3,463,536 is for the administration of the program.

With regard to part (c), the program has a budget of $50,000 for advertising related to the program, including local print newspaper ads, Spotify radio ads and search engine marketing. From March 31, 2022, until January 31, 2023, the program has spent $16,910.39 from this budget. The spending has been split between the following: print newspaper ads in The Eganville Leader, the Pembroke Daily Observer, the Arnprior Chronicle, the Renfrew Mercury, the Ottawa Citizen, Le Droit and L’Orléanais; Spotify radio ads in the geo-targeted locations of Eganville, Chalk River, Deep River, Pembroke, Arnprior, Renfrew, Ottawa, Pontiac, Manitoba and New Brunswick; and search engine marketing on Google and Bing.

With regard to part (d), as of January 31, 2023, 388 individual beneficiaries have received payments since the launch of the program on March 31, 2022, for a total value of $6,088,550 in payments.

With regard to part (e), the individuals who received payments under the program between March 31, 2022, and January 31, 2023, include 43 atomic workers, 314 primary beneficiaries, 17 executors of the atomic workers’ estates and 14 primary caregivers.

[Carbon Pricing, March 20th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the House many times, affordability is obviously a critically important issue for all members of the House. This government has put in place a range of measures to address affordability concerns, including the fact that the price on pollution actually results in eight out of 10 families getting more money back than they pay. It is an affordability measure in and of itself.

However, climate change is real, whether my colleagues across the aisle admit it or not. It is something we must address for the future of our children. We must do so in a manner that will build good jobs and economic opportunities in every province and territory, and that is exactly what we are doing.

[Climate Change, February 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, when this government came to power in 2015, we inherited a target from the Harper Conservatives, which was 30% below 2005 levels by 2030. The problem with the Harper approach was that there was no plan to achieve that target.

We put together the most comprehensive climate plan Canada has ever had. We built a plan that would not only meet but actually exceed that target. After that, we raised the target by 50% to make it science-aligned to ensure we are actually fighting climate change and doing so in a manner that will leave a prosperous and healthy environment for our children.

[Carbon Pricing, February 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in this House, it would be enormously important for Canada if we actually had an official opposition that believed in the reality of climate change and understood that we actually had to have a plan to address climate change. Like our American, British, German and French friends, we plan to address it in a manner that will promote economic growth and opportunity in every region of this country.

We are working to do exactly that to ensure we leave a planet that is sustainable and prosperous for our kids.

[Carbon Pricing, February 16th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, it is a critically important issue for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. It is fundamentally why we have rolled out a number of programs to try to support those who are most vulnerable. It is exactly why the price on pollution is refunded, so that eight out of 10 Canadian families, particularly those who live on modest incomes, receive more money than they pay in terms of the price on pollution.

The Conservatives keep quoting the PBO report. I would invite them to actually read it.